For each industry, the company with the highest score is named the RobecoSAM Industry Leader, and is considered to be the company within its industry that is best prepared to seize the opportunities and manage the risks deriving from economic, social and environmental developments. Sodexo is once again the only company to earn ‘Gold’ Class in its industry. It held its top-ranking position despite an extremely challenging environment for the industry.

“Our global footprint creates sustainable impact in local communities,” said George Chavel, president and CEO, Sodexo North America. “As the world’s 18th largest employer, serving more than 75 million consumers each day, Sodexo has the ability to leverage its scale, talent and global supply chain to help clients meet their sustainability objectives, while also meeting its own.”

Particularly impressive in light of the large number of employees (nearly 420,000) and the decentralized nature of its business (32,700 client sites in 80 countries), Sodexo earned the highest score in its industry in both the economic and social pillars.

Methodology

The yearbook is published by RobecoSAM (http://www.robecosam.com), a leading asset management company focusing on sustainability investing. This year more than 3,000 companies were considered for inclusion in the yearbook, using up to 120 financial, environmental, social and economic indicators to evaluate companies in 59 industries. The RobecoSAM Sustainability Yearbook is regarded as the world's most comprehensive publication on corporate sustainability performance, in part due to continually raising the bar for inclusion.

Sodexo has consistently been a leader, topping the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes for ten consecutive years, ranking #1 on the 2013 Top 50 Companies for Diversity list and named one of Fortune Magazine’s ‘Most Admired’ companies in the Diversified Outsourcing Services sector.

Sodexo is credited for its transparency and reporting. The company shares information on its sustainability performance, including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines, and its external auditors report.

Sodexo in North AmericaSodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com), leading Quality of Life Services company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, delivers On-site Services in Corporate, Education, Health Care, Government, and Remote Site segments, as well as Benefits and Rewards Services and Personal and Home Services. Sodexo, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation (www.SodexoFoundation.org), an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $25 million in grants to end childhood hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at SodexoInsights.com. Visit Sodexo on Facebook and follow on Twitter @SodexoUSA.

Sodexo GroupFounded in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo is the global leader in services that improve Quality of Life, an essential factor in individual and organizational performance. Operating in 80 countries, Sodexo serves 75 million consumers each day through its unique combination of On-site Services, Benefits and Rewards Services and Personal and Home Services. Through its more than 100 services, Sodexo provides clients an integrated offering developed over more than 45 years of experience: from reception, safety, maintenance and cleaning, to foodservices and facilities and equipment management; from Meal Pass, Gift Pass and Mobility Pass benefits for employees to in-home assistance and concierge services. Sodexo’s success and performance are founded on its independence, its sustainable business model and its ability to continuously develop and engage its 420,000 employees throughout the world.